Special Travel Team Officer South

Human Resources & Development - Form 35 Version 16 - Issued May 2023 JOB DESCRIPTION AND PARTICULARS OF APPOINTMENT ▪ Job Title: Specialist Travel Officer ▪ Post Number: P11311 ▪ Grade and SCP: Grade 6 £24,702 - £25,979 PRO RATA ▪ Directorate: People Where your role fits at Shropshire Council As Shropshire Council we are rightly proud of our achievements and we have proven to be a resilient local authority in our response to the many challenges we overcome, particularly over recent years. We will be continuing this momentum with ambition and a focus on delivering our four key priorities outlined within the Shropshire Plan: Healthy People, Healthy Environment, Health Economy and Healthy Organisation. We are committed to achieving this by aligning everything we do to our vision 'Shropshire - living the best life'; to tell everyone that Shropshire Council is a great place to be. We will enable a skilled, happy, healthy, diverse, inclusive, empowered, and proud workforce that influences and leads change, addressing any inequalities. As a member of the Specialist Travel and Fleet Team within the Passenger Transport Group (PTG) you will support the delivery of the transformation programme in line with the Council's vision, values and strategic objectives. The PTG provides a wide range of passenger transport services for Schools, Colleges, Special Educational Needs Pupils, Social Care and Public Transport passengers. The team are committed to providing high performing transport solutions for its clients at a competitive cost using innovative procurement solutions Overview of your role This role requires a highly organised individual who be assisting with the commissioning and maintaining of all specialist transport services for those passengers with special educational needs, disabilities and/or mobility difficulties to access school/ day services in accordance with the requirements of Children's Services and Adult Services clients. Who will your manager be and what will you be responsible for? You will be: ▪ reporting to Specialist Travel Co-ordinator who is in turn responsible for your health and safety, training and development. ▪ expected to lead and/or contribute to a range of projects and build relations with both internal and external partners in order achieve specified outcomes but will not have direct authority over those involved. What will you be doing? Assisting with the commissioning and maintaining of all specialist transport services in accordance with the requirements of Children's Services and Adult Services clients. Support all network planning and efficiency work. Processing and making payment to Parents Travelling Expenses claim forms on a monthly basis. Ensuring good record keeping and up to date payments have been recorded and good communication with the customers. Be expected to assist on a range of projects and build relations with both internal and external partners in order achieve specified outcomes. To maintain accurate and up to date computerised information for all transport services provided by Passenger Transport Group. To provide a full range of administration services Inputting as directed route, passenger and other data in the Flexiroute system and any other systems for all transport services provided by PTG Liaising with local operators to ensure contracted transport services are operated effectively and up to date passenger information is communicated between the operator and the local authority Ensure all transport requests are actioned in a timely manner, following the timescales set out by PTG Provide administrative support to all Teams within Passenger Transport Group including Entitlement, Contracts and Payments Teams when required Assisting in procuring contracted and voluntary transport services in the area as directed Assisting in the email quoting process within the terms of the Council's Contract Rules as directed Assisting in providing a full range of customer care services, offering polite, timely, friendly and supportive assistance to all customers in the context of resolving their concerns and complaints and addressing any other issues Assisting in resolving all service problems and difficulties that may arise Assisting in the development of all computerised systems Assisting in monitoring expenditure and support budgetary control To organise and ensure that adequate cover and contingency arrangements are in place for sickness, leave, breakdowns and any other operational issues Work with commercial operators to improve standards and ensure best practice is undertaken Assist with passenger profiles and ensuring information is up to date and accurate Attend relevant training that suit the needs of the service Provide and promote effective liaison and strong working relationships with drivers, passenger's assistants, schools/colleges, day services and parent/carers Order and issue specialist equipment keeping accurate records Input and maintain accurate information on PTG's Transport System Assist in providing a full range of customer care services, offering polite, timely, friendly and supportive assistance to all customers in the context of resolving concerns and complaints and addressing any other issues Ensure all transport staff and operators are equipped with the most up to date passenger information and ensure proper record keeping Assist in maintaining service continuity for all specialist transport services. Assist in ensuring safeguarding procedures and policies are fully adhered to Maintain electronic and manual recording systems including the Flexiroute system and assist in the development of management information systems. Answer telephone calls, deal with queries and problems and keep a record of complaints and operational issues Deal sensitively and professionally with the needs and problems of those requiring transport. Undertake general office duties such as post handling, filing and photocopying as well as offering support to other teams in the PTG as and when required. Assist in the development of information technology (IT) and management information systems (MIS) within the PTG required for budgetary control, contract administration and monitoring, passengers carried, services provided etc. Support other aspects of Passenger Transport Teams areas, as and when required. The above duties are an illustrative outline and are not an exhaustive list. You will be expected to become involved in a range of work to enable the service to respond effectively to the changing requirements of the Council and changes affecting the workforce. What we expect of you You will: ▪ adopt a customer focused approach when delivering your service, ensuring engagement with service users and maintenance of an appropriate personal profile, ▪ act as an advocate for your service and work collaboratively with colleagues across the whole Council to meet the needs of the people of Shropshire, ▪ meet individual, service and personal development targets agreed through the Personal Development Review Process, learn from experience and are committed to continuous improvement individually and as an employee of the Council, ▪ work with colleagues to meet your team's key performance indicators, support a culture of team working and ensure the team functions successfully in support of the Council's corporate and service objectives. ▪ meet the behaviours and competencies adopted by the Council in the way in which they achieve their objectives and carry out their work. What are your conditions of Service The conditions of service are those laid down by Shropshire Council, which have been adopted and amended as necessary from those laid down by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. Your primary work base will be at Passenger Transport Group, Longden Road, Shrewsbury with the requirement to regularly work from home. Your post is subject to the following: ▪ The post is Permanent for 18.5 hours per week, for this role hours are flexible between Monday and Friday. ▪ Normal office hours are 7am - 7pm Monday - Friday and 8am - 1pm Saturday with a minimum lunch break of 30 minutes. Occasional evening work may be required. ▪ The post is subject to the Council's annualised hours scheme as implemented within the specific work area. This post carries eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme. Information about this will be sent with any formal offer of appointment. Annual leave entitlement is a pro rata flat rate scheme of 207 hours (28 days) annual leave plus bank holidays, with five days extra awarded to those staff with five years local government service giving an entitlement of 244 hours (33 days). Two days of an employee's allowance (pro rota for part time staff) must be taken at Christmas for any potential Christmas closures. Employees who work in a building/service which is required to open over the Christmas period, the two days leave (pro rota) can be carried over into your next leave year but must be used by the end of March. The appointment is subject to one month's notice in writing on either side. The appointment is subject to six months' satisfactory probationary service during which time the notice period will be one week on either side. Smoking is not allowed in Council buildings, in Council vehicles or in any Council place of work. It is a condition of your appointment that you provide a suitable vehicle for the performance of your duties and that this is readily available for use during normal working hours. You are entitled to claim for reimbursement of the costs of travel on council business at the rate ...